The invention relates to improvements in apparatus for temporarily storing comminuted tobacco and for distributing such tobacco to a plurality of consuming machines. More particularly, the invention relates to improvements in apparatus which can be utilized for temporary storage of cut tobacco prior to transport into the magazines of cigarette rod making or like tobacco consuming or processing machines.
Commonly owned U.S. Pat. No. 4,390,029 granted Jun. 28, 1983 to Uwe Leckband et al. for "Apparatus for storing and transporting comminuted tobacco or the like" discloses an apparatus wherein a reservoir is vibrated to convert a supply of comminuted tobacco therein into a fluidized bed. A set of suction pipes (at least one for each consuming machine) extends downwardly into the reservoir, and such pipes are activated when necessary to draw tobacco particles from the fluidized bed for pneumatic delivery to the magazines of the respective consuming machines. The reservoir is agitated by causing it to move up and down and/or by causing streamlets of air to rise into the reservoir through its foraminous bottom wall. The disclosure of the patent to Leckband et al. is incorporated herein by reference.